Forgiveness
by Raven Darkclaw
Summary: Finally I've added a new chapter!!! Um let's see...as Squall illness worsens his life is in Seifers hands, meanwhile Rinoa is trying to enjoy herself in Squall's absense...
1. Default Chapter

Forgiveness ****

Forgiveness

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Part I: Beginnings

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Author's note: These Characters don't belong to me, if they did I would be millionairess, living somewhere cool like Florida, with a large car and all my original stories published. Squall, Seifer, Zell, Irvine, Rinoa, Quistis, Selphie, Laguna, Raine, Edea, Cid, Ellone, Xu, Fujin and Raijin and anyone or thing else that you recognize belong to Squaresoft. Don't sue me please; I'm just a poor student.

It was a beautiful day in Timber. Rinoa Heartily brushed at her raven hair absentmindedly as she watched the train from Balamb pull into Timber Station. It had been three weeks since she had last seen Squall, but to Rinoa those three weeks had felt like an eternity. Of course she understood that being Commander of Balamb Garden had kept Squall busy these past few weeks. He hadn't realized that the Ultimecia situation would have created so much paper work and with Cid still of on vacation with Edea he'd had to figure it out for himself.

Rinoa had also had a lot to do. She was still a member of the Forest Owls and Timber was still a long way away from freedom. 

'_Maybe Squall and the others will have a few ideas._' Rinoa thought happily as the door of the train slid open.

"RINOA!!!!" A familiar voice squealed as a bouncy brunette leaped down the steps and enveloped Rinoa in a tight bear hug.

"Hi Selphie." Rinoa smiled hugging the smaller girl. "It's great to see you."

"Howdy Rinoa." Rinoa looked up to see Irvine Kinneas close behind Selphie as always.

"Irvine, nice to see you again." Rinoa said releasing Selphie and beaming up at him. Irvine tipped his hat at her before moving to take Selphie's hand. Rinoa smiled at them, they had grown closer over the past few weeks, she realized. 

"Yo Rinoa, do I get a hug?" Zell asked coming down the steps followed by Quistis.

Rinoa rushed over to embrace both blondes and then planted a kiss on Zell's cheek that made him turn an interesting shade of pink.

"Didn't you bring Ami?" She asked.

Zell blushed an even darker pink and muttered.

"Nah…S-she had, you know, um…library stuff…"

"Oh, okay." Rinoa replied brightly turning to look at the doorway of the train. After a second of watching it expectantly she turned back to her friends.

"Where's Squall?" She asked puzzled.

The mood shifted suddenly at her words. Selphie jumped nervously from foot to foot, Irvine looked away his expression uncomfortable, Quistis looked glum and Zell's grin faded.

Rinoa looked from one face to another her expression changing from puzzlement to worry.

"What's wrong? Zell, where is he? Did something happen?"

Zell shook his head.

"Whoa, no, nothing like that. Squall just had a lot of work to do. He said he'd catch the next train." He said reassuringly.

"Oh…" Rinoa nodded brightening, and then she stopped. "Oh, oh no. There isn't another train, not until tomorrow."

"There isn't?" Quistis asked dismayed. "Oh dear."

"Can't he come in the Ragnarok?" Rinoa said hopefully.

Selphie shook her head regretfully. "Uh-uh. It's still in Esthar being repaired. We really busted it up breaking into Lunatic Pandora."

Rinoa's face fell.

"Oh." She said softly, disappointment heavily present in her usually cheerful voice.

"Major bummer." Selphie agreed also down.

Zell slumped his shoulders looking at the train timetable on the station wall as if glaring at it would make another train from Balamb magically appear. Quistis looked around uncertain what to say. Only Irvine spoke up.

"Hey, hey, hey." He said putting an arm around Rinoa's small shoulders. "Cheer up, darlin'. Squall will be here tomorrow and we'll keep you company till then."

"Yeah I guess so." Rinoa replied trying to cheer up. "I mean what's another day?"

"That's the sprit." Irvine smiled. "Now let's go have some fun!"

Rinoa tried to smile as she allowed her friends to lead her off in the direction of the pub. '_Irvine's right_' She thought. '_Squall will be here tomorrow, and everything will be fine_.' 

* * *

"What do you mean there isn't a train to Timber until tomorrow?" Squall Leonhart stood at Balamb Station a familiar frown darkening his perfect features.

"I'm sorry Commander Leonhart." The ticket clerk stammered nervously. 

"Don't call me that…" Squall muttered in disgust turning away and storming down the steps. 

'_Great…_' he thought putting a hand to his forehead. '_Now I'm stuck here. Xu will have taken Garden and left for Esthar by now. Rinoa's going to be so disappointed…hell I'm disappointed, I really miss Rinoa, I miss her smile, I miss hearing her voice…_' 

"Hey, Puberty boy." A familiar voice sneered.

Squall stopped in his tracks. He looked up slowly. Seifer Almasy stood flanked by his posse, a familiar smirk on his handsome face. His scar the exact opposite of Squall's own gleamed in the sun. Looking at him Squall couldn't help but think back to the last time he had seen Seifer, smirking just like this as he threw a helpless and terrified Rinoa at the feet of Sorceress Adel like some sacrifice.

Cold rage began to bubble up beneath Squall's carefully control exterior, the only thing stopping him from unsheathing his gunblade and putting it through that mocking face was the promise he'd made Rinoa before she'd left for Timber three weeks before.

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"Promise me that you won't fight with Seifer, Squall." Rinoa had said looking up at him, her dark eyes pleading.

"…Whatever."

"Seriously. I don't think what happened was his fault. Ultimecia used him. She turned his dreams against him. He should be pitied Squall, not hated. And someday he should be forgiven…try to talk to him. Promise me you'll do that. Please Squall?"

"…I promise." 

"Seifer." Squall said his voice as cold as ice.

"Commander Leonhart." Seifer replied with a mocking salute. "I didn't know you still travelled by foot like the rest of us mortals."

Squall did his best to ignore this. '_I'm no good at this talking stuff…_' he thought.

"…How have you been?" He asked lamely.

Seifer looked at him as if he'd gone mad.

"What?!?" He said. "You gone soft in the head, Leonhart?"

Squall threw out his arm in frustration. 

"**_Hyne!_** There's no point in even trying to talk to you!" He raged.

Behind Seifer, Fujin and Raijin exchanged a nervous glance.

"**_LEAVE._**" Fujin said urgently.

"Seifer, let's go, ya know." Raijin agreed. "Don't want to start fighting, ya know."

"Sure," Seifer replied, his dark blue eyes still locked with Squall's. "This dumb SeeD isn't worth it."

Squall managed to keep in control of himself as Seifer and his Posse turned to leave. '_Remember my promise…_' He thought.

Seifer turned back towards him, his expression once again mocking.

"Hey, Leonhart." He said. "I saw Garden leave earlier. Where are you staying?"

Squall scowled at him.

"Balamb Hotel." He snapped. "Not that it's any of your business."

Seifer smirked.

"Hey, that's where I'm staying. So maybe I'll see you later, huh Squall?" Seifer turned to leave again, but not before giving another mocking salute. "Bye now, **_Commander_**."

Squall clenched his fists and took deep breaths as Seifer walked away. He could get under Squall's skin in a way no one else could. 

'_Dammit!_' He thought angrily turning and heading in the opposite direction to the one Seifer took. '_Why does he always do that? I wish Rinoa were here. I don't want to break my promise to her but if Seifer keeps this up we probably will end up fighting. Why is he like that? Rinoa wants me to forgive him but I'm not sure if I can, I'm not sure I can forget all the things he's done. And what about Seifer, what if he doesn't want to be forgiven?_' That was a question Squall couldn't answer. He toyed with the idea of going to the docks after Seifer but quickly changed his mind. If he was going talk to Seifer again he needed to work of his frustration first. Sighing Squall walked out of Balamb Town heading towards the nearest forest to find some monsters.

* * *

"Just give me a drink!" Seifer raged at the bartender in Balamb Pub. 

"ID." The guy replied absolutely deadpan.

Seifer raked a hand through his short blond hair and glared at the man.

"I'm twenty-one years old, now give me a drink!" He lied.

The Bartender folded his arms and glared right back at him.

"No ID, no drink." He replied. "Now get out of my bar before I have to throw you out!"

"Dammit!" Seifer swore turning on his heel and storming out of the bar. '_Why does Squall always do this to me?_' he thought. '_Why did he try to talk to me? Doesn't he know how I feel about what I did to him?_' Seifer shut his eyes momentarily. A horrific picture of himself giving the command to send another 1000 bolts of electricity through Squall's helpless body flashed into his mind. '_Some knight…_' Seifer ran a hand through his already mussed hair and tried to will the picture away. It obediently faded. '_Me and Squall have been rivals since we were kids. Sure he's not my favorite person, but torture him? How could I have done that? I couldn't have been me…but it was…I was a Sorceresses knight my childhood dream fulfilled, but knights don't hurt people, they help them…_' Another picture flashed through his mind, Rinoa's beautiful face twisted in terror as he held her before Sorceress Adel.

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"Seifer, please…don't do this…" Her dark eyes were full of fear. "Please…"

"Rinoa…" 

'_No!_' Seifer's eyes snapped open. Rinoa…she'd chosen Squall over him. But that wouldn't have been enough to make him want to hurt her. He would have never wanted to hurt her. Then why? Everything was so fuzzy. Those memories…it was him, Seifer…but he did things Seifer would never dream of doing…not in his right mind. 

He supposed he'd better get to the docks to meet with Fujin and Raijin like he'd promised, but he didn't want to. He'd just end up taking his mood out on them. 

They were his Posse, his friends. He didn't want to give them any more grief than they'd already gone through over the past few months. They'd stuck by him through his temporary insanity but had left at the right time to help bring him to his senses. 

Seifer turned and began to walk towards the town exit. He needed to find a few monsters, work of this frustration. He wanted…

'_What do I want?_' He wondered. '_I want to turn back time. I want things to be the way they were. I want to be a SeeD. I want to have a home. I want…forgiveness._' Seifer stopped. Forgiveness? That was impossible. It was all impossible. He couldn't turn time backwards, things would never be the way they were, he would never be a SeeD and Garden would never accept him back, he could never go home. 

'_This is all Leonhart's fault!_' Seifer thought clenching his fists, then he shook his head, his anger towards Squall fading as fast as it came. No it wasn't Squall's fault. But then whose was it? '_Ultimecia!!_' Seifer realized, his anger came back even stronger now that it had been redirected. That bitch. She had used him, played him, poisoned his dreams.

Another scene flashed through his head. Himself kneeling before a throne. Upon it sat Ultimecia in Edea's-Matron's body.

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"What do you want, Seifer?" The sorceress asked cruelly.

"I want to dream again…please. Just let me have one dream…"

"Not until you tell me what I need to know. What is the meaning of SeeD? I demand to know!"

"But I was never a SeeD…I don't know…"

"Then find out!"

Seifer began moving again. What did it mean…why couldn't he remember. Why couldn't he dream? 

* * *

Squall trudged through the woods in disgusted. Two Bite Bugs. He'd been walking around for at least half an hour and all he'd come up against was two Bite Bugs! He shifted his weight from on foot to another. He really needed a good fight, he was so distracted though…maybe it was better that he hadn't ran into any real danger. His state of mind wasn't really suited for dealing with a real fight.

Rinoa…he missed her so much. He had told himself it was only a day. But it felt like an eternity.

'_What's happening to me?_' He wondered. '_If anyone had told me that I would feel this way a year ago I would call them crazy. Instructor Trepe, I mean Quistis would be amused. Hell I miss them as well and they've only been gone a few hours. Zell, Quistis, Selphie, Irvine, they're…my friends. Who'd have ever thought the unfeeling Squall Leonhart would end up feeling so much?_' He almost smiled to himself at that thought. His friends made him feel like everything would work out. Even Commanding Garden was easier now that he came to them for help. 

Ellone had returned to Esthar with Laguna Loire, but she would be coming to Timber in a few days to meet up with everyone. Just knowing where Ellone was made Squall feel better about everything, knowing that 'Sis' had never wanted to leave him, that she'd never forgotten him and that she was proud of him.

Laguna…Squall still wasn't sure exactly how he felt about his 'Father' he was a moron, but he was family. And wasn't that what Squall had always wanted when he was young? Still give it time, as Rinoa had advised. 

"_It'll take time Squall, but give your Father a chance. If nothing else he can tell you about your Mom_."

His Mother, Raine Leonhart. Beautiful, practical Raine, who'd he only ever seen through Laguna's eyes. Raine who'd been left to die alone. Why? Squall couldn't figure that out. He had been inside Laguna's head, he knew that Raine had been Laguna's life…but then why had he left her? No, Squall already knew the answer to that. He had left to find Ellone. But what about him? Laguna and Raine's son, why hadn't Laguna ever come to get him? Could it be possible that he hadn't known that Raine's baby had lived? 

"**_LEONHART!!!!_**"

The voice jerked him out of his thoughts. He looked up to see Seifer running towards him, gunblade drawn, his dark blue eyes wild. Squall narrowed his gray-blue eyes then drew his own gunblade ready to defend himself.

But to his surprise the blond did a gymnastic flip over the top of Squall's head and came down behind him. Squall spun just in time to see Seifer slash a full-grown T-Rexaur across the face.

Squall almost reeled with shock. '_I was so lost in thought I didn't hear a T-Rexaur sneaking up on me?_' Part of him wondered while the other part said: '_Did Seifer just save my life?_' 

But there was no time to think about it now, even as Squall rushed to help Seifer, the large beast swung around sending it's massive tail smashing into both young men. Seifer fell back apparently unconscious, Squall forced himself to his knees.

"**_Double Protect!_**" He shouted, casting the spell both on himself and Seifer's fallen form.

_Squall, don't you think you might need me now?_ A cool voice inside his head asked.

Squall allowed himself to smile a little.

'_My thoughts exactly!_' Squall thought to the voice before taking a step towards the monster.

"**_Diamond Dust!_**" He shouted calling on his favorite Guardian Force.

_At your service…_ Shiva replied, as she appeared surrounded by coffin shaped layer of Ice. Squall looked over at Seifer worriedly as Shiva used her ice attack on the monster. He wasn't moving, better finish this fast.

Shiva disappeared as Squall ran towards the monster. But before he could strike the T-Rexaur scooped him up in its jaws. It was all Squall could do to hold back a scream as the massive teeth tore his flesh. Only his quick reaction saved him from certain death. Before the creature canines could clamp down on his head, Squall twisted his gunblade around stabbing it upward deep into the roof of the creature's mouth. 

The monster roared in pain tossing him to the ground. Squall landed hard, but managed to roll back unto his knees. The T-Rexaur was hurt but not defeated. Squall knew another of Its attacks would probably kill him. He had reached his limit.

"**_RENZOKUKEN!_**" He shouted.

With newfound strength he leaped at the T-Rexaur, delivering blow after blow unto it's already scarred body. With the last blow he pulled the trigger of his blade sending a bullet deep into the monsters flesh. Still the monster didn't die. Squall decided to finish the fight, now!

"**_Lionheart!_**" He shouted calling on his most powerful finishing move and ending the fight-well that was what should have happened. Instead all he managed to say was:

"**_Lionhea-_**" Before the T-Rexaur's claws ripped his chest open, sending blood splattering everywhere. Squall fell back as the T-Rexaur bent towards him, it's jaws opening for the kill.

The world went into slow motion.

'_I'm going to die…_' Squall thought without any particular emotion. His blood was draining from his body, making him feel so tired. He couldn't feel any pain anymore, he just wanted to sleep. Suddenly a thought ripped through his mind the way the monsters teeth were about to rip through his body.

'_Rinoa! No I can't leave her! I…I promise!_' He tried to move but couldn't. There was nothing he could do to prevent his own death. He was helpless. Inside his mind he could hear Shiva screaming his name over and over but in his delirious state his mind heard Rinoa voice.

_Squall! Squall get up! You can do it!_

'_No…I can't I'm sorry, Rinoa. I lov-_'

_NO!_

"**_NO!!!_**" The voice was from outside. Not Rinoa. Squall opened his eyes a crack. 

"Seifer?" He whispered.

"**_NO MERCY!!! FIRE CROSS!!!_**" His rival screamed. Squall closed his eyes to protect them from the energy blast. There was a crash as the T-Rexaur's body fell dead.

"Leonhart? Hey Leonhart, you gotta drink this!"

Squall sat up enough to take the high potion Seifer was offering him. He drank it and shut his eyes again as his wounds began to heal. He tried to sit up but he was dangerously weak from lose of blood, he sank back to the ground.

"What's wrong? You're not passing out on me are you? You should get to a Doctor! Leonhart? Can't you get up? I've already saved your skinny ass twice today and now I have to carry you the whole way back to town? Give me a break!"

Squall winced a little in pain as Seifer lifted him from the ground. Part of his mind protested at how embarrassing that was but Squall ignored it, the darkness was coming in waves.

"S-Seifer…?" he whispered trying to raise his head a little.

"What?" Came the reply. "You shouldn't talk. Rinoa would be really upset if you died."

Squall shut his eyes again as his vision blurred. He felt his head fall back but that was okay.

"….Thank you." He said softly as the darkness claimed him.

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Author's note.

Ami is 'Library girl with pigtail' by da way…

So what do you think? Good, Bad? Please review!!!!

Still got no idea of plot. It was supposed to be a fanfic about Laguna and Squall, with a good lump of Zell, but so far Zell's barely featured (He'll come in soon I promise. I've become sort of obsessed with him lately!) Also Seifer seems to have stolen Squall's spotlight!!! He has a habit of trying to do that. I think it's gonna be about Squall and Seifer now. Anyway….. As Squall would say '…whatever' I hope to get the next part done soon.

Love Raven.


	2. Part II Building Bridges

Forgiveness

Part II: Building Bridges 

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Author's note: These Characters still don't belong to me, in case you didn't already get that. Sorry this part took so long but I've been swamp by college work. For those of you who are worried this will become a Squall/Seifer fic, it won't. Trust me it's Squall/Rinoa all the way although I will warn you…I'm into Quifer…

Rinoa Heartilly sat quietly at the bar. The whole party was actually too young to drink. Irvine had managed to sweet talk the female bartender when she had been on duty, but now the owner had taken over at the bar and he had been giving them all funny looks for the past hour. The rest of the group seemed to be having a good time but Rinoa missed Squall to much to enjoy herself

She wondered what he was doing, right that minute. He was probably staying in Balamb Hotel in his usual room. Was he alone? 

'_Don't be so stupid, of course he's alone._' Rinoa scolded herself for even thinking something so stupid. She trusted Squall completely, didn't she? Of course she did. Goddess, this time apart from him really had made her paranoid. Squall would never cheat on her, she knew that in her heart and soul. Never.

She closed her eyes trying to picture his face exactly. His stubbornly wild chestnut colored hair, delicate but strong features, his stern expression. No, instead of his usual frown Rinoa choose to imagine his smile. That sweet shy smile she had caught a glimpse of the night of the party after the defeat of Ultimecia. The one that lit up his stormy grey-blue eyes. 

She loved his eyes, his eyes were like the ocean, she thought she could drown in the those eyes given half the chance. And if she were to drown she wondered if she would ever want to be saved. But one thing about his eyes made her sad, the sorrow she saw in their depths when she looked into them. There was a hole in the heart of Squall Leonhart, one she hoped she could fill. With her love and compassion for him, she prayed she had the power to close that gape within him left by…who? 

His mother perhaps? Rinoa had never heard Squall speak much about Raine Leonhart. But she saw the way his eyes lit up with something like longing when her name was mentioned. She knew from Laguna that she had died shortly after Squall's birth, but that was all. Squall's father also avoided the subject. Rinoa thought it hurt him to speak of Raine, even after seventeen years. He must have really loved her.

Rinoa wonder what that was like, to love someone that deeply, then to lose them. She hoped she would never have to experience it. But then Laguna Loire had loved Rinoa's mother too. The beautiful and famous Julia Heartilly who had written her biggest hit 'Eyes On Me' about the love she felt for the soldier.

Rinoa had grown up listening to that song, her mother had sang it to her many nights when she had had trouble sleeping and Rinoa had fallen asleep trying to picture the man in song, sitting there in the corner tiny little bar with his gentle eyes on the stage. What a strange twist of fate that she, Julia's daughter, would end up falling in love with the son of the very man her Mother had written that first song about.

It was funny now when Rinoa listened to that song she saw Squall, somehow it had became their song. Rinoa knew this would have pleased her Mother.

She realised suddenly how hard it must have been for Laguna to hear of her mother's death. She was, after all, his first love.

'_Like Seifer was my first love._' Rinoa thought absently and for a moment wondered where Seifer was right now, what he was doing. She knew it upset Squall to hear her talk about Seifer, but she couldn't help it sometimes. She had loved him once, that was not something she could forget. She wondered if he had forgotten it.

Seifer had done wrong, that was true. He had injured a lot of people herself included but she knew within her soul that this wasn't totally his fault. The Seifer she knew would never have done these things in his right mind. She knew how it felt to be controlled by Ultimecia.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

Rinoa snapped out of her daze and looked up to see Quistis Trepe regarding her, a bemused look on her beautiful face.

"You were thinking of Squall, huh?" She asked pushing a stray wisp of her golden hair from her eyes as she spoke.

Rinoa nodded. Not wanting to say it had been Seifer that had been on her mind at that second.

"How could you tell?" She asked motioning for Quistis to take a seat.

"He has the same expression on his face when he's daydreaming about you." Quistis smiled sitting down.

"Squall daydreams about me?" Rinoa asked almost laughing in her shock. It was hard to imagine the ever-practical Squall Leonhart daydreaming, but then he did tend to think a lot.

"Yes, he does." Quistis told her.

"Well how do you know it's me he's thinking of?" Rinoa asked teasingly.

"True." Quistis tilted her head, a mischievous smile coming to her crimson lips. "It could be Zell Squall's thinking about when he stares off into the middle distance."

Both girls burst into fits of giggles at this thought and it was quite a while before they died down again.

"So." Rinoa said when the giggles had subsided. "Any new men in your life?"

She regretted the question as soon as it left her lips and wished she could snatch the words back from the air as she saw Quistis's sapphire eyes go dim.

"No. But then I'm not really looking right now." Quistis replied in a voice that was a little too offhand. "I mean I'm very busy…"

"Quisty." Rinoa interrupted. "Tell me the truth." She reached over and patted the older girl's shoulder. "I mean we are friends…aren't we?"

"Of course we are." Quistis was touched by Rinoa's concern. "It's just…" She paused trying to think of how best to express her feelings. "You have Squall, Selphie has Irvine, Zell has Ami…I just feel like I'm the only one who's alone."

Rinoa was over come with sympathy for Quistis. It was true, she was the only one in their circle without a partner. There had to be someone.

"What about Nida." She suggested. "He's not seeing anyone, is he?"

"Nida?" Quistis giggled. "No I'm not interested in Nida in that way, he's just a friend." As an after thought she leaned over and whispered. "I think Xu is though!"

"Xu?!?!" Rinoa almost squealed. "Really? Ooh, we have to get them together!"

"Get who together?" Selphie chipped in as she slid into a seat on the other side of Rinoa.

"Xu and Nida." Quistis was quick to fill her in.

Selphie's emerald green eyes lit up with excitement.

"Really. Oh Cool!" She rejoiced. "I love matchmaking!" 

Just then Zell came stumbling over. Even before he spoke Rinoa could tell from his stance and the dopey grin on his face that he was very drunk.

"Hey girls." He said grinning. "How's…How's it goin' with yous?"

"Zell." Quistis said rolling her eyes. "What has Irvine been letting you drink?"

Zell smiled holding up a bottle of beer.

"This!" He announced proudly.

"And how many have you had?" Rinoa inquired.

Zell looked confused for a second then he held up the bottle once again.

"This!" He said.

"Irvy!" Selphie said pouting as Irvine sauntered over to join them. "How could you let Zell get drunk like that?"

"Me?" Irvine held up his hands in mock innocence. "Why do I get blame?"

"Maybe is 'cause you bought me the beer?" Zell suggested. 

"Well I didn't know you'd get drunk on one did I?" Irvine replied.

Zell ran his fingers through his blond spikes making them stick up in every direction. His normally tanned skin had gone a definite shade of green

"I need to…need to sit down." He said before passing out in the middle of the bar.

"Guess he can't hold his drink." Irvine said bending to lift Zell's unconscious form.

"Well Ladies and Gentlemen." Quistis announced getting to her feet and smoothing her skirt. "On that note, I suggest we call it a night!" 

* * *

"Hey, Seifer are you sure about this, ya know?" Raijin said worriedly as Seifer laid Squall onto the bed of their room in the Balamb Hotel. "Bringin' him here?"

Seifer looked down at Squall. Although the high potion had stopped the bleeding and healed up most of the wounds his face was still unusually pale. He still hadn't regain consciousness. 

Seifer wondered for the first time why he was doing this. Taking care of Leonhart like this. They hated each other. So why save his life?

'_Because I'm not like that. I would never leave anyone to die, not even a rival._' He thought. He convinced himself of this, telling himself that had to be it. There couldn't be any other reason. 

"Do you have a better idea?" He snapped turning on Raijin. "He's lost a lot of blood and he needs to see a Doctor. He's also very heavy! So what to you suggest? I carry him around on my back 'til I find a doctor?!?" He didn't give Raijin a chance to reply before rushing on. "Don't be so stupid!!! I thought is I brought him back here-"

"**_WISE?_**" Fujin interrupted from the balcony.

Seifer turned towards her, his face filled with confusion.

"What?" He asked. Fujin's brief way of speaking made her difficult to understand sometimes. She sighed then said;

"Do you really think it's wise bringing him here? People might jump to the wrong conclusion. You and Squall have always been rivals, people might think you were the one that injured him."

"But…" Seifer ran his hand through his hair considering. "I get were you're coming from but I don't see what else we can do? We can't just abandon him, he'd die. And I don't know how to treat his injuries, do you?"

Fujin shook her head.

"Then we have to get a Doctor." She agreed. "But I'll go get one, you stay here, agreed?"

"Agreed." Seifer nodded. "Go now, okay? I don't think he's getting any better." 

****

* * *

It was growing dark when Fujin finally returned with Doctor Lockhart from the town. It had taken a while to convince her that Seifer; a) Hadn't injured Squall, and b) wasn't going to attack her.

As she check Squall over Seifer left to stand on the balcony. His mind seemed to be racing. Usually the sight of the serene midnight blue sea lapping peacefully onto the golden sand helped relax him. The gentle sound of the tide calmed his nerves. Tonight it seemed to do the opposite.

He found his mind drifting to the last time he had seen his ex-comrades from Garden. After the defeat of Ultimecia, after he had suddenly been freed from her control he had returned to Balamb where he had found Fujin and Raijin waiting for him. Faithful as always. 

A few days after that he had been walking in the town alone and there they'd been. All of them. The proud Commander, Squall, the Chicken Wuss, Zell, the little messenger girl, Selphie, the cowboy, Irvine and Instructor Quistis Trepe, her golden hair gleaming in the afternoon sun. 

He'd found himself wishing for the days were he could have just sauntered over to them, familiar cocky smirk in place and exchange some idle insults. Just for the fun of seeing Squall's cool response, followed by Zell's display of fly swatting and ended with Instructor Trepe's disapproval. He had wondered why he had felt like this. He was missing them like friends…but they weren't friends, they had never been friends. 

He had been about to walk over anyway. After all why should he, Seifer Almasy, be afraid of anything a bunch of twerps were going to say to him. But then SHE came out of the nearby jewellery shop.

Rinoa. Suddenly his nerve had gone. He couldn't speak to her. Not to her of all people.

Another flashback; He saw himself and Rinoa together the summer before, the long days they'd spent on the beach, playing in the water, having picnics and the long walks in the surf after dark. She had made him feel so alive, and when he looked into her beautiful dark eyes his dream had never seemed closer.

Another picture forced it's way into him mind, tearing apart the warm feeling reminiscing about the summer had created. The same chocolate brown eyes, but instead of being warm, they were wide with fear. And again Rinoa's frightened voice echoed through his mind; 

__

"Seifer, please…don't do this…please…"

So he had slipped back into the shadows and watched as they left together. Together. A unit, the Orphanage Gang. They were like a family, a family he should have been part of. Had been part of, until he'd messed up.

Zell was acting out some amusing scene in a very animated fashion that had Selphie and Irvine in fits of laughter. Quistis had a smile on her pretty face, but it didn't quite reach her sapphire eyes. Squall slipped a loving arm around Rinoa's small shoulders, giving her a gentle squeeze before catching up with the others.

Rinoa alone held back. Even from where he stood in the shadows of the alleyway he had hidden in Seifer could see her dark eyes narrowed in thought. Then suddenly she turned and looked right at him. Seifer moved even further into the darkness. She couldn't possibly see him, but then she was a Sorceress. He wondered if she could sense him.

Seifer stiffened wondering what to do. But then Squall appeared again. He took Rinoa's had and asked her something Seifer couldn't make out. Rinoa smiled and shook her head, then she turned putting her arms around Squall and together they walked away. Rinoa looked back towards Seifer once more, and then she was gone…

"**_SEIFER!_**" Fujin's voice startled him out of his thoughts. He turned and went back into the hotel room. The Doctor look up at him as he entered.

"What did you say attacked him?" She asked, tucking a few strands of her dark hair behind he ear.

"A T-Rexaur." Seifer said a little defensively. "Do you know what's wrong with him yet?"

"My Medi-Scanner has detected a strange toxin in his blood." She said.

"A toxin?" Seifer asked, but she was going on.

"A Poison." She clarified. "A deadly poison."

"Deadly." Seifer whispered feeling numb. Behind him Fujin went still and even Raijin couldn't think of anything to say after Doctor Lockhart's next words.

"If he doesn't get the antidote in Forty-eight hours." She said. "He'll die."

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Author's note.

Okay so now I've got a plot!! I hope people are still interested in reading this since it took so long. Do ya like my little cliff-hanger? Still not much Zell but he'll be in the next part more. Please, please, please review. I'll try to get the next part up as soon as possible.

Love Raven.


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